Sarcasm can be demotivating

Edited from a Facebook meme (cursing removed):

My thoughts: choose your words wisely if you like good company, good behavior, good friends. Few things are as demotivating being darned if you do, and darned if you don't. This rang so true for me as a parent, as reflecting back as a child, and in a family where some members cannot resist being snarky, either as an attempt to be funny, offer back-handed insults, or even be passive-aggressive (or all). My armchair psychologist stood up sharply and said "Oh my, I never thought of this way! It makes so much sense!" 

Do no harm, the yogis say - to oneself, and to others. Do we not see ourselves in others? Can we not forgive small transgressions? Can we be uplifting instead of destructive? Must we always tear down to release our own frustrations, or can we (use yoga) to dissipate that built up tension in other ways (more about that in another post).

I am guilty of being party to participation in this activity, and also been victim of it. I think we all have. It's time to recognize that, and work to be better. On both fronts, fully acknowledged.

United National Committee for IDOY - Light on Light Magazine

Jo-San Arnold and I are so proud to have been asked by the International Day of Yoga Committee at the U.N. to contribute to the special world-wide edition of their Light-on-Light magazine about sharing Accessible Yoga with the community, and the International of Day of Yoga.

Click this link
https://tinyurl.com/y72pjwhd
to read both articles (the images below might not show clearly)

(NOTE: There is an error in my article. My class is not at Casa de Oro, it is at El Cajon Library; click here for details)

Here is a link to the entire magazine for your reading pleasure: https://issuu.com/unityearth/docs/lightonlight_un_idy

I want to extend special personal thanks to the following people for inspiring me to learn about yoga and share the knowledge:
Jivana Heyman Karen O'Donnell Clarke, Judith Hanson Lasater Shelby Lafrinere Kaitlyn Asken Melissa Anne Booker Matthew W. Sanford Jivana Heyman Leslie Kazadi Steffany Moonaz Anne Joseph Gretchen Mallios Amy Wheeler Yoga Rachel Krentzman Shawnee Thornton Hardy Jodi Komitor Debbie Williamson Chelsea Roff Shakta Khalsa

Support for caregivers

Be your own best advocate. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/caregiver/

Is Silver Sneakers Yoga only for, like, um, Seniors?

The easy answer is OF COURSE NOT!  It's a fusion of Vinyasa yoga, where movement is matched with breath, Iyangar yoga with deliberate (and liberal) use of props for pose accessibility and enhanced alignment, and Viniyoga, a therapeutic style of yoga that is designed to move the body and use the breath to help manage conditions and injuries.

Slide from the Tivity Silver Sneakers Yoga Training Program

This combination of styles can be both progressed (intensity increased) and regressed (intensity decreased) like every other format to work with each student's abilities as best as possible.

Like every yoga practice, we learn how to breathe not just in and out, but to coordinate movements to breath, and consciously control the breath cycles to both decrease stress and improve concentration.

We also work on functional movement practices like balance, muscular flexibility, skeletal range of motion, endurance, coordination, and cognitive health. The three yoga practices fused together can take us through a full range of asana (physical postures) and pranayama (breathwork) that help bring us into a state of santosha (contentment) with our bodies where they are on any given day, helping to create a state of not only physical wellness, but mental as well.

We start our classes in chairs, and include standing postures for those that can and want to incorporate them into their personal practice, but there is never an obligation to move beyond your individual safety zone. If someone utilizes a walking support and cannot move safely without one, or perhaps a wheelchair, there would never be a push to NOT use that tool; that would go against not only ahimsa (non-harming principle of yoga) but also would not follow both the concepts of Iyengar yoga which encourage the use of props (appropriate tools), as well as Viniyoga which says to manage your condition as needed with focus on the BREATH.

But these do not limit the practice to just people "of a certain age or physical condition." Of course traditionally these classes were designed (and paid for) as part of a 65 and older wellness program, as the improvements to quality of life from exercise have been well proven especially for those at that age. We all know that exercise at all ages has proven benefits, and (even) yoga in a chair based format can be invigorating as well as interesting (at least the way that I teach!) and restorative to body and mind.

The Silver Sneakers program now has opened many of its classes to people between the ages of 18 and 65. The program is called Tivity Prime Fitness and offers the benefits of having access to multiple fitness facilities as well as some off the Tivity Flex classes (like the ones I teach).  You can check to see if you are eligible (via your existing insurance and/or company benefit package) here: https://tools.primemember.com/Eligibility/CheckEligibility.

There is also a link to the facilities that accept the Prime membership (that is to say, you can go there "for free" as part of your Prime enrollment) - gyms like Crunch, Chuze, Rehab United, LA Fitness - provide you with amazing opportunities to get your fitness fix and not have to wait until you are 65. 

Remember that everyone is welcome at my Flex classes free of charge  regardless of fitness level, age, or experience with yoga. If you don't have the Silver Sneakers or Prime benefit, and my schedule doesn't match with yours, you can also check out the San Diego County and City Library websites for other free classes. Community Colleges, Oasis Adult Education, and the YMCA are also wonderful places to explore for a wide variety of wellness-based resources that might fit your budget.

So in conclusion, no, Silver Sneakers is not just for the silver haired. If your heart and mind are open to the experience, I encourage you to try some "Yoga Fusion" with me. It might just be a breath of fresh air.

Yoga Can Create Change

A few articles about yoga!

Adaptive Yoga Changes Lives

By Rear Adm. Tom Steffens (Ret.), former Navy SEAL and founder, Exalted Warrior Foundation

http://navymedicine.navylive.dodlive.mil/archives/4329

New Study Shows Yoga Has Healing Powers

By Susan Brink, for National Geographic

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/02/140207-yoga-cancer-inflammation-stress/

Embracing Our Bodies - reprinted with permission from Shayna Gothard Kaufmann, Ph.D.

Clnical Psychologist and empowered woman Dr. Shayna Kaufman has a website entitled Embracing the Middle: Empower Women in Their 40'S, 50'S & 60'S - Discover and Apply Your Innate Wisdom, Awareness, and Courage. She leads short, day, and series workshops (formal and informal gatherings) on "an empowering approach to the second half of your life that invokes excitement rather than a mindset of "midlife crisis" or stagnation." She describes her program as one that 

...teaches how to examine outdated beliefs and behaviors and gracefully accept what is, even if that means embracing your growing "mid" section. My programs are educational and experiential and are best suited for women in midlife (approximately 40-60) who are open to examining aspects of their lives through the midlife lens of wisdom, maturity, awareness, and emotional bandwidth.

I want to share with you an email she just sent, that has to do with body acceptance. If this resonates with you please visit Dr. Kaufman's website at https://www.embracethemiddle.com/ or her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/EmbraceTheMiddle/ for much more information. 


What Embracing our Bodies IS NOT

Yesterday I received a call from Kyra (not real name) about attending an Embracing Our Bodies workshop. She shared her experience of being so extremely critical of her body that she actually avoids looking at herself in the mirror. “I love bright colors,” Kyra sadly told me, “but I mostly wear black, oversized clothing to make me look thin and hide my body.” Compliments from her friends or husband about her body are simply disregarded.  Kyra is weary of being at war with her body and ready to make a change.

Kyra was concerned that “Embracing” meant only accepting her body and weight and that she’d be hypocritical if she tried to accept her body and lose weight. Her angst was especially strong as she’d recently had some exciting success with a weight loss program. For the record, that is definitely NOT what I mean by Embracing. But Kyra’s earnest question inspired me to clarify what Embracing Our Bodies IS and IS NOT.

Foremost, Embracing our Bodies IS loving ourselves exactly as we are even as we strive to look and be our best. These are not either/or positions; they are both/and. I try my hardest to embrace and openly admit to having my share of vanity. Just ask my husband how many outfits I go through before heading out the door. I applaud Kyra’s weight loss efforts and wish her success. If, however, Kyra’s self-love is contingent upon her weight, then she is not “embracing.” The challenge for all of us, including Kyra, is to love ourselves the same regardless of our size (or wrinkles, or grey hairs, or...).

Embracing IS accepting and appreciating what our bodies are and are not capable of at this moment in time. I recently wrote a blog about giving up my 40 years of running due to serious knee issues. I am definitely not happy about the status of my knee, and am considering any and all medical procedures. But I accept this is the reality of my knee at this time, I’m not dwelling on my inability to run and I actively appreciate what I can do.  That is embracing.

Embracing IS NOT an excuse to skip the gym and eat bon bons all day; it’s not a reason for Kyra to discontinue dieting. To say, “I am embracing my body as it is and therefore I’m having fries and a shake with my burger” is a misdirected rationalization. Have your fries and shake if you choose to but don’t delude yourself by calling that embracing. That is splurging. 

Embracing IS always a work in progress, a dance of sorts. We’re human and the path to embracing is not linear, but more like a few steps forward, a few back, and a few to the side for good measure. You make some headway and then you backslide a bit. Furthermore, some parts of our lives are harder to embrace than others.

In my experience, the most important aspects to work towards embracing are those that are currently interfering with the quality of your life. I got serious about coming to terms with my weight because it was more than a mere inconvenience; it was a dark cloud over my life. There are people I came to forgive because holding onto my anger limited my joy. And there were beliefs I chose to release as they were holding me back.

You likely already know which aspect of your life needs embracing. Maybe it’s your body image, maybe a relationship, maybe a work situation. I’ll be first to admit that the thought of embracing can be daunting. I assure you, though, that there’s palpable freedom and relief on the other side.  If you are ready to embrace, and want some guidance and support along the way, consider joining me and some other amazing women at an Embracing event. Kyra is. Cheers to Embracing!
--
Shayna Gothard Kaufmann, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist

Compassion ROCKS

Today I led a children's yoga class with the theme of compassion. no, we didn't talk about the school shooting - these are just 8-10 year olds and discussing that tragedy is best left to parental discretion. In fact they didn't even bring it up. What we did talk about is what compassion means to them. They danced around the idea a bit until one child said "kindness, right?" and the ball rolled from there about being respectful, caring, not thinking just of yourself, helping someone, charity, listening, etc. usually with respect to someone who had something bad happen to them. I reminded them compassion is also sharing GOOD moments with people, letting them share theirs with you, and just taking the time to notice someone else, like make new friend.

This being a group of jewish students I decided to take it one step further. With Purim holiday coming up, I brought up the name of the notorious bad guy (Haman) that hated the Jewish people and tried to advise the king for whom he worked to kill them. Basically, he had NO COMPASSION for people different from him.

When we read the story of Queen Esther in the Magillah (the story of Purim) that includes Haman, usually we make noise and "boo" when someone mentions his name. We express hatred for that man, and in some cases show cynical joy that we know he "gets it" in the end.

I asked the children "He hated the Jews and wanted them to be killed. His plan failed; if he wasn't killed, should we have wished that on him? Should we hate him so much in return that we get HIM killed? A pause in the room. One or two kids should laughing "YEEEEEEEEEEES!" and then, as they realize this was a bit of a trick question, they looked to me as if to ask why.

"What that man lacked," I said, careful not to say his name so they didn't start shouting again, "was compassion for the Jews." But we are supposed to learn from this, so in return WE shouldn't just shout hateful things when we say his name. We can use our noisemakers (groggers) to show we don't like what he did, but what if we show that we understand compassion instead?"

My older kids classes include both physical yoga but almost always a craft related to the theme (or at least revolving around self care or exploring the senses). Today, I tied it in to the upcoming Jewish holiday. We were to create two groggers: one that would be a "traditional" noisemaker (a plastic shell filled with beads that you can shake), and the other would be one to show COMPASSION ROCKS. We were to take a small river rock, paint on it a word that means compassion to us, and put that inside another plastic shell. We could then choose which grogger to use when the time came, during Purim, and hopefully long after.

After all, compassion DOES rock. When in doubt, COMPASSION IT (courtesy of www.compassionit.org).

Getting Political - about the value of human life

A wise friend, a lawyer no less, wrote this the day after a tragic event. She compassionately brings up a cultural lack of compassion, anger, disenfranchisement and dismissiveness, and in the face of the natural urge to place blame, speaks of trying to make a difference to help us move forward.

I quote her directly, and with honor.

I will tell you with 100% certainty that our schools are not equipped to deal sufficiently with the mental health well-being of our children and their classmates. And, early intervention is crucial. How about instead of funding a wall and more weapons of mass destruction, we prioritize our schools - the place our children reside 35+ hours per week - the place that is very often the only surrogate for a child's missing stable home? How about instead of pumping money and energy into our prison system, arming guards, and adjudicating criminal behavior post-event, we pump money and energy into bolstering compassionate care for troubled children and their families (who are often beyond desperate for resources and help)? So many of these young people are written off as bad, crazy, damaged, etc., when they actually are suffering horribly - often in silence - often unaware of it themselves - mental illness, early childhood trauma, attachment disorder, PTSD, you name it. How about applying early compassionate care in the form of emphasizing reparative health and training instead of emphasizing punishment and judgment? Instead of ignoring suffering children who are walking time bombs, how about believing in our ability to assist them and invest in them - hey, if we don't care about them, well then what about the lives of their future victims ? How about taking, dare I say, a more matriarchal approach? Think about how difficult life is for YOU, as an adult, with presumably developed coping skills. Now imagine life for a child with little support.

Sometimes I Dream I'm Trying To Rescue Drowning Hummingbirds

Please know that I very much appreciate people approaching me directly with comments and feedback. Sure, yea, I'm a yoga instructor, but that is not the whole of who I am. We are all just HUMAN BEINGS, and we are all working on self-awareness. Life gets tough - there's a lot of distraction in this world and a lot with which to get frustrated. If you know me, you know that I just want to make this world a better place. I want to help educate and energize, uplift and help us all be connected to one another. We may not agree, but if we respect each other we can make this work.

Inspiration

You are a much better person than you think you are...Don't be so hard on yourself...You have done some good, you have done some bad...You are human...Learn to love yourself, be patient..

-Jeffrey Zlotnick

The practice of meditation is not just for your own peace but because with a peaceful mind you can go out into the world and serve well. With that very idea you can meditate. So even your Yogic meditation becomes a selfless action.

-Swami Satchidananda

You.Are.Amazing.
As. you. are.
Stronger than you know.
More beautiful than you think.
Worthier than you believe.
More loved than you can ever imagine.
Passionate about making a difference.
Fiery when protecting those you love.
Learning. Growing. Not alone.
Warm. Giving. Generous.
Quirky. Sexy. Funny. Smart.
Flawed. Whole. Scared. Brave.
And so, so, so.much.more.
-Tia Sparkles Singh, 2011

Death of a Hummingbird

My son and I found a deceased hummingbird in our yard yesterday. I almost didn't see it, at first. Without my glasses, the bright green feathers and grayish wings fooled me into thinking it was a dead fig beetle in the leaf litter. When I bent down and saw this tiny bird, I was at first overjoyed! I picked it up delicately, cradling it in my hands hoping to see or feel a little bit of breath or movement.

When I realized the bird was not going revive I started to examine it like tiny treasure. The opportunity to just hold a hummingbird was a rarity, but to be able to actually do a bit of manipulation, knowing I'd be causing no harm excited the nerdy nature kid and adult in me.

I passed my fingertips over the smooth head feathers and into the "ruff" that were both that glistening ruby color when in direct sunlight. This identified this specimen as a male Anna's hummingbird, common in our area. We hear them whizzing past our porch every day, on the way to our neighbor's feeder, sometimes landing on the power/telephone lines, usually unseen chirping from the bushes and trees in our yards.

I touched the tip of the amazingly sharp beak, sealed shut in death sleep, unable to view the amazing tongue that makes hummingbird feeding such a unique process. The little eyes were closed into slits. When I flipped his little body over, I saw that his belly was completely bare. The gray/pink skin was still soft, and yielded to slight pressure; perhaps he had not been dead quite that long despite his legs and claws resembling dried noodles. I could trace his breastbone with my finger, and stroke his wing feathers that were so soft that felt like air brushing. He felt like nothing in our hands.

A quick internet check revealed that some hummingbirds, even males, will lose abdominal feathers to form brood patches - featherless spots with increased vascularity to facilitate snuggling up against eggs or chicks. Perhaps a nest high up in our tree was now missing its paternal figure, or, free from a paternal rival? Hummingbirds, the internet said, are also notoriously territorial, using those beaks as weapons. I saw no puncture wounds indicating predation or intra-species battle, no missing body parts or feathers (save for the belly), so as to the cause of death I can only speculate.

We showed his little body to our dog, who was curious as to what we were doing cooing and fawning over something that was not him. I held on to the bird snugly, partly expecting the dog to try to grab the corpse and run off with it like a toy. To my surprise, the dog gave it a thorough sniff-over, then just looked up at me, without the slightest aggressive action. Was this because the animal was already dead? Was this because he knew to not grab something from me? Was this because he is a kind and gentle soul? Logic dictates the two former answers, and my heart wants to believe the latter third.

I didn't feel the urge to do any sort of messy dissection, or taxidermic preservation (nor did I know how), and knowing there are better pictures of live birds on the internet dissuaded me from photographing our specimen. In fact the only documentation I really felt would be valuable was about the experience itself. Eli had lost interest after getting a chance to hold it once, surprised at how lightweight it was, and the amazing colors. He suggested we bury rather than the "trashcan" option, so I chose a spot underneath one of our vintage (and rather in need of some nutrients) rose bushes. Now the bird's body has a second chance to add to the beauty of nature.

I know there's a yoga lesson or a hundred in here, but I'll leave it for each person to contemplate. I will just savor the experience for what it was: teachable moment, a learning moment, a living moment, a dying one as well.

Giving Thanks, Our Way

For Eli and Craig and me, our extended families live at least 90 minutes by plane (and at this time of year, $1000 minimum) and further. Due to school and work schedules, and familial obligations, seldom do we get time for just the three of us to enjoy time together, guilt-free, without feeling like we have to either, a) run to one relatives house for a large holiday (Jewish, Christian, Secular); or b) do chores/fix up the house/do laundry/run errands that don’t get done on normal days.

Eli’s first Thanksgiving was one of sleepless drama (the child was anti-slumber until he was four and even now can do zombie-inspired four-hour anti-sleep binges worthy of the worst of college drunken study habits and expect one of us to joyfully participate with him. Years two and three we hazily remember as having my mom come out and some friends visit but we aren’t really sure and can’t find any documented proof.

So in 2012, we decided that Turkey Day weekend was just for US, for short trips just the three of us, someone that we could really regroup, decompress, hike, read, eat turkey sandwiches (or turkey camping food if that was what the cards dealt), and if so available get into a Jacuzzi naked.

Twenty Twelve

With high hopes we set sights on the Grand Canyon. A friend offered her house in Prescott, AZ as she was going to be away, so we set off with toddler Eli (who chose the car ride to sleep, but not so much any other time that whole trip). We dined on home-broiled salmon on Thanksgiving, and due to the lack of sleep (reminder: three hours was Eli’s max at this point) we never made it to the GC.

We did get up to Sedona, where we not only walked through the lovely Church of the Rock (sidebar: My now gone Aunt whom I idolized was the proprietor of the shop in the church when I was a child so this place had special nostalgia for me.) but also hiked the other-worldly rock formations (see photo) with Eli having the crow’s next view in the Kelty backpack.

We took the back roads home and saw the Pre-Columbian Indian Trail outside Glamis, the desert dunes, the expanse of farms along the Colorado River, the river itself, which made the normally uninteresting highway drive one of the best parts of the trip.

Twenty Thirteen

When Eli was four, we ferried out to Catalina Island (sidebar: I made sure we all took anti-motion sickness meds for this trip. My former experience with ferries across channels, yes even something as tame as this, and even kayaking in Hawaii, were enough for Craig and I to become aqua around the ears and ruin at least the next six hours). We stayed at La Paloma la Flores, in a 100 year old cottage whose adjoining units were built into the steep island hill. The town was quite empty in the days leading up to and including the holiday, and without chain restaurants we relied on the locals’ advice on where to eat, get coffee and explore. After a few small sacrifices to various deities Eli agreed sit in the kid tow/carriage as we toured around town on electric bikes.

We also hiked the Garden-to-Cloud trail with Eli in a cheap umbrella stroller and he slept the whole way up (see photo). In fact, was the first trip he slept for any length of time in his own "bed" so this trip goes down in history as a confirmed success no matter what. Thanksgiving dinner? Turkey sandwiches in the cottage. Day after? Chinese food!.

Twenty Fourteen

We decided to explore something a little closer to home, with access to Julian (which not surprisingly doesn’t have “bed and breakfasts” that welcome small children. The town of Descanso has a number of historic rock houses, and we were able to rent one of them for our trip. The upside? Totally adorable, rustic, huge rock face fireplace, antique stove, large extra bedroom addition. The downside? Rock does NOT make a good insulator from the cold and it was a chilly fall that year.

We used the fireplace every night, the hot tub multiple times a day, and as for sleeping, well… the King size bed was not big enough for three. Not surprisingly one of the adults ended up on the twin in the (chilly) den but at least there was rest.

We spent Thanksgiving Day in Julian, eating (you guessed it) turkey sandwiches, and hiking part of Volcan mountain (photo shows us at a gate marker; notice how we are not wearing sufficiently warm clothing). We traversed the highway Descanso and Julian daily and visited every historic marker we could find - the old mining spots, the smallest library site, and true to form, we made the drive home an adventure as well.

We drove the twisty turny old Viejas Grade Road to experience the beautiful backcountry views of San Diego; the homes are incredible out there, and it’s strange how remote they are due to topography, despite their actual proximity to San Diego.

Twenty Fifteen

This was the year we gave in Eli's desire to see snow. An internet search for reasonable priced cabins with fireplaces and Wi-Fe in Big Bear led us to a “quaint” 1 room setup near the center of town (walkable even) that turned out to be a converted garage. The fireplace was nothing more than a space heater in fireplace clothing, and it took us until the second night to figure out how to work  the wall heater, so the first night’s snowfall temperature drop made it a bit sleepless (traditional for our first night at this point).

The trip included a four-wheel drive guided tour in the mountains, a tour of the historic town sites, a hike to the lake, and up into the snowy trails (sidebar: this was the last time we were able to the use the Tula Carrier with now six-year old Eli), and introducing Eli to snow tubing. Thanksgiving dinner? Spaghetti after tubing!

Twenty Sixteen

Last year we went up to the San Jacinto Mountains, staying in another old (read: cold) cabin this time in Idyllwild, which Eli still pronounces as “Eye-Dee-Wild.” We hiked the nature center trail three times (the photo is somewhere on that trail near a Scout Camp marker). (Sidebar: On one hike I tentatively fished what I thought was a human hand on a chain out of tree. It turned out to be an old Halloween prop.)

We met the town mayor, Max (a golden retriever, yes you read that right) and in general were charmed by the beauty of the area, to the point where we actually went to two open houses. We did our own four-wheel exploration as far as we could towards Tahquitz Peak (at night), and Craig added it to the hiking bucket list).

Eli slept like a champ on the overstuffed living room couch, which reminded us he likes to be cradled with as much padding and blankets as humanly possible for best sleep (which took us 6 years to learn). I also learned that yes, you can drink too much extra spicy Bloody Mary mix on an empty stomach, and that frozen pizza is an excellent Thanksgiving dinner when you are worn out from hiking, have a fireplace, cable TV and your family around you.

Twenty Seventeen

This year, we are headed to Running Springs, near Big Bear. We all agreed that brisk mountainous air makes it a bit more "Thanksgiving-y" and gives us a chance to break out the fleece gear. The altitude challenges our lungs a bit, and the alpine air with its tinges of spruce and pine lift the spirit. There may not be snow, but we'll be near a lake, and two small town that beg exploration. The house owners says there will be deer visiting the yard in the morning, with views into the valley and possibly all the way to Catalina if it’s clear. We'll eat our pizza, or turkey sandwiches, or spaghetti, or who knows what, we'll sit in the hot tub (now a requirement along with Wi-Fi), and listen Eli talk about how tired he is from the hike, or ask questions about the trees, maybe just listen to quiet.

Then we'll call our families in Sacramento, in Portland, in Chicago, in Fort Lauderdale, we'll send well wishes all our friends on Facebook, Eli will invariable Skype/Facetime with his Minecraft playing friends, and we'll be happy. I hope you all will be too. 

Want to relax. heal and REMEMBER? Try deep breaths (in AND out)

"'Vagusstoff' [the substance released from your vagus nerve] (acetylcholine) is like a tranquilizer that you can self-administer simply by taking a few deep breaths with long exhales. Consciously tapping into the power of your vagus nerve can create a state of inner-calm while taming your inflammation reflex."

Simply put, taking some slow inhales and even slower exhales will at the very least calm you down, and at best, help reduce the body's biological markers for inflammation response. Which means, less pain, less stress, less illness.

"Healthy vagal tone is indicated by a slight increase of heart rate when you inhale, and a decrease of heart rate when you exhale. Deep diaphragmatic breathing—with a long, slow exhale—is key to stimulating the vagus nerve and slowing heart rate and blood pressure, especially in times of performance anxiety."

Breathing with focused aware (mindful) inhales and consciously slowed exhales will help realign your mind body connection, bringing you into the "yogic" place. By paying attention to the breath, you are giving your body, via vagus nerve stimulation AND being present, the opportunity to calm. With calm comes relaxation, with relaxation comes restoration.

"Recently, an international team of researchers from Amsterdam and the United States conducted a clinical trial which demonstrates that stimulating the vagus nerve with a small implanted device significantly reduced inflammation and improved outcomes for patients with rheumatoid arthritis by inhibiting cytokine production."

You read that right. Increasing vagal tone was found to create improved QOL for patients with an autoimmune condition. Cytokenes are the nasty particles that start the inflammatory response. Vagus nerve stimulation reduced the level of these chemicals in the body.

But I don't do the article justice by cutting and pasting. I know how great deep rhythmic pranayama (breathing exercises) feel. But to read that there is scientific proof to WHY the body feels better after a breathwork session, well that satisfies both sides of my brain, and my entire being as well. Thanks for reading, and much healing to all.

Read the complete article here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201607/vagus-nerve-stimulation-dramatically-reduces-inflammation

UPDATE: another article this time from neuroscience news (thank you Amy Wheeler for the references) says

Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered for the first time that the rhythm of breathing creates electrical activity in the human brain that enhances emotional judgments and memory recall.

Read that whole article here: http://neurosciencenews.com/memory-fear-breathing-5699/

Positive Mental Attitude

Every Cell in my body

vibrates with energy

and health. Loving myself

heals my life.

I nourish my mind,

body and soul.

My body heals quickly

and easily.

Wear PINK on 10/30 in SD to support the fight against Breast Cancer

The Family and Community Engagement team in collaboration with San Diego Unified Police Services are wearing pink on to show support for those affected by Breast Cancer.  Join us in showing community support and posting your photos to social media.

State of California retirees can be eligible for Silver Sneakers

Many retired State of California employees with PERScare and over 65 may now be eligible to opt in to the Tivity Silver Sneakers program on their Medicare insurance. That means free admission to 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, Crunch and more gyms that have Silver Sneakers classes and low or no cost community Flex exercise classes. You should have received a new brochure in the mail about opting-in to this program. Check your insurance website for info, and sign up if you can!

Two Events Especially for the Golden Years - Del Mar 10/7 and La Mesa 10/13

This year's Successful Aging Expo in Del Mar is Saturday, October 7 from 9 AM to 4 PM, and is FREE (parking is $13 per car). Present by Sharp Healthcare!

Presented by Rides for Neighbors in the City of La Mesa, it's the Transportation and Fitness Expo on Friday, October 13 from 8:30 to 11:30 AM at the La Mesa Community Center at 4975 Memorial Drive.

Gratitude, perspective shifts, and afterschool programs

On a previous life track (before kids, and with full time professional employment) I would shop. a lot. For baubles and clothing and life embellishments... and more food than I needed. Wasteful to be certain.

With the current austerity program initiated with the birth of our son and my work taken to part time, and most recently the recent gentle belt tightening of hubby being between jobs, my cravings for "more" have greatly dissipated. Perhaps the yoga practice helped hone the skill and tune in to non-grasping, but admittedly the reality of avoiding debt and waste played a big part. Truthfully don't want an overstocked refrigerator (to clean or to organize). I don't want more clothes to put away or things to dust on shelves, or collectibles about which Ill just forget.

Having mindfully "not-shopped" for a bit, we found ourselves positioned to utilize funds (that would otherwise be squandered on a few dinners out and theater movies and maybe some more pricey meats at the market) to sending our son to the most amazing after school programs. He'll be participating in Spanish lessons, art lessons, Kung Fu classes and learning to write computer code. With these programs he'll make more friends get exercise and expand his learning day by the exact increment of time I needed between the end of my work day and picking him up. The drop in after-school program was $35 a day or required prepayment for 3 or 5 days a week of which we would have used an hour per day. These programs cost between $9 and $16 per class and are worth every penny. Thank you universe for manifesting this. I am deriving so much more pleasure (than a pair of earrings or bag of candy or random catalog item i didn't really need) this way. #lessismore #gratitude #afterschoolenrichments #asteya

Silver Sneakers Time Changes

Please check the Senior Yoga page on this website for new changes to the times for the Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon free yoga classes and for all upcoming class cancellations due to holidays, etc.

Mondays at the El Cajon Library and Fridays at Lemon Grove Library will start at 12:45 PM (instead of 1:00 PM) effective immediately.

Wednesdays at the Casa de Oro Library will start at 12:45 PM for the rest of September. Starting October 4 (the first Wednesday in October) classes will move to 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.

Please do not hesitate to call with any questions; always check the live schedule for the most up-to-date class information.

International Day of Peace in La Mesa - Yoga at 9:30 AM

The Main Event

Sunday 9/17/17 is the fourth annual Day of Peace gathering organized by The Interfaith Council of La Mesa. The event takes place in Aztec Park at 7945 Morocco Drive in La Mesa.

The Interfaith Council represents all religious denominations and those who don’t have faith traditions. The event’s aim is to bring awareness to “the need to promote peace, unity and good will in both local and global communities.”

The Council event itself runs from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Different faith/spiritual/philosophical groups are gathering earlier to lead universally uplifting activities, and I am honored to be part of the "Raise the Energy in the Park" prelude to the main event.

Yoga in the Morning 

Starting at 8:00 AM there will be a half hour "Prayers for Peace for All Mankind," and I will follow with TWO yoga sessions, one from 9:15-10:10, and one from 10:15-11:00. 

Please bring your own blanket/yoga mat, wear sunscreen/a hat, and bring plenty of hydration. This will be gentle but eclectic hatha yoga so if you need support for your back or knees bring a cushion or a folding chair so that you feel most comfortable.

Read more about the origin of this amazing event and get more details in this article in the Union Tribune by Karen Pearlman.